New York State Forestry 53 



would be guilty in this or some other case. The green timber 

 was called "Adirondack Corn." 



The result was that in the succeeding ten years they had an 

 impossible task with the assistance granted. Trespasses were 

 not stopped, but were, on account of the work of the Forest G3m- 

 mission, becoming better known; the "curative acts" were being 

 passed upon by the courts and the excitement was tense. Simul- 

 taneously the Constitutional Convention convened. It adopted 

 Article 7, Section 7 of the State Constitution, above quoted, as 

 a protective measure. It was a new section. About this same 

 time the State embarked upon the policy of purchase of land for 

 an Adirondack Park, and for the period during 1890 to 1900, two 

 and one-half million dollars was expended for this purpose. The 

 first appropriation in 1890 was for $25,000 and provided that the 

 price to be paid should not exceed $1.50 per acre. Under this 

 appropriation they were able to buy lands upon which the spruce 

 had been cut to approximately 10 inches in diameter, and these 

 lands today are among the most valuable acquisitions, which the 

 State has made. 



The succeeding ten years saw the consolidation of the forest 

 department with the fish and game interest and also the creation 

 of a separate board for the purchase of land. During this period, 

 there were many political changes in the complexion of the Com- 

 mission, and some of the most prominent politicians of the 

 state were from time to time appointed commissioners. About 

 1904, a new plan was adopted whereby the State's title to land 

 was questioned, and pursuant to powers conferred by a special 

 statute the commissioner was authorized to compromise any 

 question of title. Numerous compromises were made, stipula- 

 tions entered into and judgments entered by which the State lost 

 large areas of valuable property and in exchange received other 

 less valuable lands, or the compromise was afifected upon the 

 ground that the contestants would agree that the State was the 

 owner but they reserved to themselves the softwood timber 10 

 inches or over with the right to remove the same within ten years. 

 These compromises are now being set aside and the questions 

 of title judicially determined. 



During this same period purchases of land were made. In 

 some cases there were occupants upon the property and no 

 reservation was made to protect them. In other instances, the 



